1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in an operating device for an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to a bearing arrangement through which a base member of a shift lever is rotatably supported on a stationary base.
2. Background of the Related Art
A known automatic transmission operating device for changing operating ranges of an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle is, in general, arranged as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the automatic transmission operating device includes a shift lever 42 which is perpendicularly connected to a collar 43 which is mounted through bushings 44, 44 on a shaft 46 secured horizontally to a depressed section 41a of a base 41 fixed to a floor panel 40 of the automotive vehicle. Thus, the shift lever 42 of the automatic transmission operating device is arranged to be rotatable or tillable with respect to the base 41. Right and left positioning plates 47, 47 are provided at opposite sides of the shift lever 42 and fixed to the base 41 to vertically extend. A positioning pin 49 is provided to pass through the elongate openings 42a, 42a of the shift lever 42 so as to be vertically movable, and is in slidable contact with the detent grooves 48, 48 of the positioning plates 47, 47.
A compression rod 50 is vertically movably disposed in the shift lever 42 and connected with the positioning pin 49. The compression rod 50 is always pushed upwardly under the action of a spring 51 and can be pushed down by a push button provided in a knob (not shown) fixedly mounted on the upper end of the shift lever 42. A check plate 54 is disposed parallel with the positioning plates 47, 47 and fixed to the base 41. A roller 53 provided to a check lever 52 is in sliding contact with the check plate 54. The check lever 52 is moved in timed relation to the shift lever 42. The roller 53 is rotatably supported on an arm 55 which is swingably attached to the check lever 52. The arm 55 is in pressing contact with the check plate 54 under the action of a spring (not shown). A cable (not shown) for operating the automatic transmission is anchored to a pin 56 secured to the check plate 54.
However, difficulties have been encountered in the above conventional automatic transmission operating device in that the above automatic transmission operating device requires the shaft 46 and the bushings 44 in addition to the collar 43 thereby increasing the number of component parts. This unavoidably increases the number of operational steps in a production process, thus raising the production cost.